


Only a King-Consort

by abraxos_sniffing_flowers



Series: Drabbles of the Arsinoe/Billy Chatworth kind [2]
Category: Three Dark Crowns Series - Kendare Blake
Genre: Arsinoe being a fool for Billy, Arsinoe laughing, Billy being a fool for Arsinoe, F/M, Fluff, Other, and last but not least, bc we stan, culture lessons with billy chatworth, mira checking jewellery, mirabella being potective, no editing this is the hill i die on, platonic Billy/Mira, promise rings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-02 01:44:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20267998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abraxos_sniffing_flowers/pseuds/abraxos_sniffing_flowers
Summary: Billy Chatworth loves his girl. He's a bit of a fool for her to be honest. And he wants to give her something to show her that. Alas, Mirabella is both an excellent friend and sister.





	Only a King-Consort

It was weird seeing Billy so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice anyone around him. He sat in the library of Chatworth manner and even though his head was ducked down, Mirabella knew whatever had caught his attention was more important than a book. She snuck up behind him and peeked over her shoulder as quietly as she could and nearly gasped.

‘Is that a ring?’ Billy snapped the box closed and stood up before Mirabella could even fully register what she had seen. A silver ring with blue crystals and what looked like tiny diamonds. It was beautiful.

‘It’s not an engagement ring, if that’s what you’re wondering,’ he hid the box in his pocket, leaving his hands fisted in them. Mirabella stepped around the back of the couch.

‘Good. Arsinoe isn’t ready for that, she’s too young.’

‘You and her are the same age. And neither her nor I want to get married. Or more, I would like to marry her one day and vice versa, but not anytime soon,’ she smirked at him. ‘What?’

‘It’s cute how smitten you are with her. I’ve never thought of anyone with such affection,’ Billy blushed at that and slumped back onto the couch. Mirabella followed suit, but tucked her legs under her so she could sit sideways. She propped her arm on the back of the couch and rested her chin on her fist. ‘Okay, if it is not an engagement ring, what exactly is it?’

Billy murmured something unintelligible, muffled by the fist he had pressed into his mouth.

‘Excuse me?’

‘It is a promise ring. That I bought in Indrid Down just after Arsinoe was said to be dead. Something about it reminded me of her so I bought it,’ Mirabella raised an eyebrow at that. It certainly wasn’t what she expected. But there was one part she didn’t understand.

‘I cannot say I am particularly acquainted with the concept of promise rings. That is to say, on Fennbirn they don’t exist. Could you explain?’ Billy ran a hand through his recently chopped hair - a further point of contention between Arsinoe, who liked his hair long, and Mrs. Chatworth, who had forced him into a kitchen seat and had cut it herself. Mirabella, in a rather mean-spirited way, had laughed at him for it while he had kissed her sister’s frown away.

‘A promise ring is what it sounds like. It is a symbol of a couple’s commitment, I guess. It is almost like a stepping stone to a proposal, but, like you said, Arsinoe is too young. I just, I just wanted to give her this to show her that she has my whole heart, and probably will for a long time,’ Mirabella smiled as his eyes grew distant and he looked out of the window. Mirabella followed his gaze through it and smiled when she saw Arsinoe out in the garden with Jane, seeming to be teaching her how to plant a flower.

‘May I see this Indrid Down ring, just to make sure it isn’t too gaudy?’ He almost looked offended at the question.

‘I bought it because it reminded me of her. It is most definitely not gaudy,’ Mira didn’t respond, instead, she held her palm out. Her friend sighed and pulled the box out of his pocket and placed it into her hand. She excitedly opened the small, square, blue velvet box and peeked inside, softly gasping at what she found. 

Resting in a white cushioned perch was a silver banded ring that delicately widened into an almost wave-like formation on either side of three sapphires. Above and below the centre gems were tiny diamonds inset in the waves. It was simple but so beautiful. Looking out to the garden, she watched Arsinoe laugh brightly at something Jane said. Billy was right. Both were simple but beautiful. She closed the box and handed it back to Billy with a small smile.

‘It’s perfect.’ He beamed and bounced out of the seat, seeming about to go give the ring to Arsinoe when a thought occurred to her.

‘You know, there is this truly hideous saying in Fennbirn that I have always found odd and, watching you right now, I am even more confused by it,’ Billy’s sandy eyebrows scrunched together.

‘Oh?’ A non-verbal request for her to continue.

‘Only a King-Consort is fool enough to love a queen,’ a small smile pulls at his lips.

‘I don’t know why you disagree with it. I have never been a fool for anyone like I have for her,’ and with that he left the library with a skip in his step.

She smiled as she watched him approach her out the windows, at the smile she sent him and the way she let him help her to her feet. As they walked away from her.

She watched until she understood that both were fools for each other.

**Author's Note:**

> bc I'm not the best at describing things and it is really pretty, the ring I was talking about can be found here: https://www.prouds.com.au/product/9ct-white-gold-created-ceylon-sapphire-diamond-trilogy-ring?p=7201245
> 
> If you want more of me losing my shit about three dark crowns and other fandoms and accoutrements, go follow my tumblr @breccia-domain


End file.
